Self-washing oil filter



March 31, 1931. ,J. w. MORRISON SELF WASHINGOIL FILTER Filed May 5, 1928 ja 14/ Way;

. wa A Patented Mal-r31, .1931

UNITED STATES PATIEUZN .1- OFFICE JOE w. MORRISON, or EIGHIJAND renx, MICHIGAN, nssmnon r GENERAL MOTORS conrom'rron, or nn'rnorr, MICHIGAN, .A conrona'rron or DELAWARE SELF-WASHING OIL I'ILTEB Application filed May 5, 1928. Serial No. 275,313.

This invention relates to fluid pressure systems as, for example, force feed lubricating systems now in general use on internal combustion enginesfor motor vehicles, and

'1 more particularly to an improvement in lilters or strainers for use with fluid pressure systems.

The type of filter commonlyemployed for removing dirt and foreign material from the engine lubricating oil consists of a replaceable unit which retains the dirt separated from the oil that passes through it and gradually loses eificiency as it becomes clogged. The substitution of a new filter unit at regular intervals to secure the benefit of clean oil and long life, besides being costly, demands a certain amount of attention on the part of the car owner, and this attention in most instances is neglected.

it is one of the ob'ects of the present invention to provide t e oil pump with a strainer screen to separate dirt particles from the lubricating oil, and insure delivery of clean oil to the bearings, that will be simple and economical in manufacture, etficient in operation, and which will require no attention in use or be likelyto become clogged or otherwise get out of order, throughout the full life of the engine.

it further object of the invention is to provide a rotary strainer element consisting of a foraminous shell carried b a hollow extension of the pump drive sha t, the interior of which shell is brought into communication with the suction or intake side of the pump through the hollow shaft. Since the rotation of the foraminous shell will set up a circular motion of the crankcase oil the heavier dirt particles will move outward or awa from the screen under centrifugal action, w ile the liquid entering the shell will be filtered by its passage through the perforations of the screen. Obviously, the circular or swirling movement of the oil will be somewhat slower than the rotation of the strainer, whereby any dirt particles that tend to cling to the screen will be washed ofi by the oil and the filter will remain clean and of uniform efficiency at'all times.

Another object of the invention is to pro-.

vide aQcheck valve and bypass arrangement to allow the intake conduit to have direct communication with-the crankcase in the event sufficient oil does not reach the pump from the filter to supply its full capacity requirements.

A still further objec is to provide a spiral vane or pusher blade 1 the hollow shaft to augment the action of pumping suction in supplying oil to the pump.

Other incidental objects and advantages willbe a parent from the following specification ta en in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of an internal combustion engine in which the present invention is embodied.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, wherein a preferred but'not necessarily the only embodiment of the invention is shown the numeral 1 indicates the crankcase of an engine having mounted therein in suitable bearings,""an engine crankshaft 2, connected by proper gearing to drive a camshaft 3 so as to control the the operation of the engine valves in timed rela tion with crankshaft rotation.

Drivenfrom the camshaft 3 through worm place on the underside of the housin 8 by the bolts 7, communicates with the inta e or suction side of the pump, while the pipe line or conduit 14 leads from the ressure or delivery side of the pump to suita 1e branch conduits runrciling to the several bearings to be lubricate -The driv'eshaft 4 has an integral hollow extension 15 providing an intake conduit or passageway 16 opening into the chamber 12 through lateral ports17. Surrounding the 9 hollow shaft extension 15 and fixedly secured thereto is a foraminous shell or cylindrical .the slower'moving liquid, so that the dirt will screen and clog the same.

strainer element 18, preferably of wire screen gauze or other suitable material, the interior of whichcommunicates with the passageway 16 through the ports or openings 19, to allow the li uid that passes through the perforations from the crankcase to reach the pump.

It will be evident that pump suction draws the liquid through the strainer screen, which rotates with the drive shaft and thereby causes a swirling action of the surrounding oil in the crankcase. Centrifugal force will cause the heavy dirt particles to move outward, and the outer surface of the screen will be continuously washed by its contact with have little or no chance to lodge in the filter Thus the strainer is self-cleaning and will not require attention in use.

. As a safety factor in the event suflicient oil is unable to reach the pump through the filter to satisfy its requirement, there has 'been provided a ypass arrangement to permitdirect communication at certain times between the passageway 16 and the oiI chamber or crankcase pan 5. This consists of the open lower end of the passageway 16 that is normally held closed by the ball valve 20, seated against the inturned ends of the 'shaft extension by a tension spring 21 bearing against a shoulder or ring 22 in the passa eway. 7

There is also provi ed in the passageway about the entrance ports 17, a spiral vane or described my invention I liquid therefrom, a hollow rotatable shaft 'operatively' associated with the pump and constituting an intake passageway for the ump and a rotary filter element carriedby the shaft at the inlet to said passageway.

2. In combination, a drive shaft, a fluid pressure pump operatively connected .with said shaft, a hollow extension on said drive shaft formingan-intake passageway for the P p, rotatable withthe shaft extension at the inlet thereto.

r r V 3. .The structureof claim 2, and a pusher (5 element in the hollow shaft extension adapt fiuid thereto.

and a filter element carried by and' ed to augment pump suction in delivering 4. In an internal combustion engine, the 1 combination with a force-feed lubricating system including an oil pump, of a drive shaft for said pump having a hollow portion extending beyond the pump, forming an intake passageway for the pump, said passageway having inlet openings, a filter element carried by and movable with said extending hollow portion of the drive shaft andassociated with one of said openings, and a check valve associated with another of the openings' I 5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a force feed lubricating system including an oil pump, .of. a drive shaft for said pump having a hollow portion extending beyond the pump, forming an intake passageway, and a filter element carried by said hollow portion and associated with the inlet to said passageway. 7

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a force feed lubricating system including an oil pump, .of a drive shaft for said pumphaving a hollow portion extending beyond the pump, forming an intake passageway leading to the suction side of said pump, ,and a pusher element in said passageway.

:7. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a force feed lubricating -system including an oil pump, of a drive shaft for said pum having a hollow portion extending beyond t e pump, and forming an intake passageway for the pump, and a spiral vane in said passage adapted to increase the oil flow to the pump.

8. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a force feed lubricating s [stem including an oil pump, of a drive shaft for said pump having a hollow portion extending beyond the ump, and forming an intake passageway lea ing to the suction side of the pump, sai passageway having openings into the engine crankcase, a check valve associated with one of the openings, a filter element associated with another of said openings and carried by said hollow shaft extension for iotation therewith, and a spiral vane 1 in said passageway to mcrease the velocity of the flow to the pump.

In testimony whereo I affix my signature.

JOE W. MORRISON. 

